Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-07-25

But il IL pleaseS me- demanned she,
facing about abruptly, and. with "A slight,
disdainful movement Of her hand, flower
at INV left fell TO the ground nipped Off
by the plant whip lash.
Well" said l. losing what little patti
.nce / had lett. Il will not allow it,
Aud | made movement 10 arrest her
hand.
Then. all this is in earnest said she,
stepping back to avoid my grasp, and eye
ing me from head To f""t in "a defiant man
| uer.
Yes" cried |, II am thoroughly in
earnest but il was quiet wrong uf me TO
add, you have no feelings at all
She became slightly pale, and, without
a word OF reply, she passed hastily
by me Giving a short, downward switch
with her whip. in the air this time, a. If
cutting through an invisible OBSTACLE, she
strobe back to the chateau.
Nv first impulse WAS 10 follow 50 as Ia
try 10 appeaSe her. hut coui not muster
up the courage to do SO. Besides | was
still under the influence of my foolish
anger, not enough 81, however, To make
me unconscious OF the gravity of the
offense conveyed hy my last words
She retraced her steps along the path
we had been following. | did not take
nv ewes of her, but she never once turned
her head. When she entered the avenue
of chestnut trees | lost sight Of her al
together.
Nv anger soon cooling down. | began
more fully to understand the nature Of the
! quarrel that had taken place. could
| only sum it up i'll these two words:
"'Tis absurd"
Return TO the house, Why should l.
What could ! say Justify myself; To
! what purpose The evil was beyond
| remedy. sue for forgiveness. Neveri
Besides, to do SO | would have needed
more courage than 1 possessed. Waiting
! seemed to me the best, though not the
most commeDdable plan.
In order to think over the matter
| calmly. and Ia let events take their own
course. passed through the thicket and
walked on for a while AT random. soon
| reached the outskirts ut a small grove
about 200 metres from the main avenue of
I the chateau Not wishing TO get in vet,
| threw myself on the grass, and with my
/ ewes fixed ON the house | waited. Toby
stretched himself at my feet.
! A little later two horses were led into
| the yard. Nine. de s'tahl and her daugh-
| ter came down the steps alone, mounted
their horses and started on at n gallop.
Aroused by the slightest noise, Toby
sprang of at full speed toward them,
! barking ss loud ss he could.
/ In passing by the grove the young girl
/ accidentally cast her ewes in my direction.
/ Did she see me, Perhaps she did, for she
raised her riding whip and brought il down
whack on the neck Of her charger. The
surprised animal reared up on her hind
/ = a, IL, Il. lNalu INAp d i'm.
with blows which, | verify believe. were
not falling on the shoulders she would
have liked them 10. With ceaseless yelp-
| ings Toby escorted the enemy 10 the en-
trance Of the avenue; then bounding back
as fast as his legs could carry him he took
| his place at my feet, growing still, but in
! q tone which seemed 10 mean: II have
done my duty, haven't l: Now, let us
| live in peace"
As the sun began bending his course
toward the hills l decided on returning
home.
For awhile wandered around the house
! and then set out in search OF news. Above
! all things to he feared was the reception
my grandmother would give me- At last
! ] sped my old governess, who had looked
for me in every corner Of ,he premises.
asked her what she had heard.
She told me that Mile. de Stahl had re-
turned in a fury, giving orders TO have
| the horse saddled Immediately. On enter
| ing the parlor she related a long story of
q hedge riding whip and flowers, of
which il was impossible to understand
anything except that l had So far for
gotten myself as TO insult my betrothed.
Nine de Stahl had fully approved her
daughters conduct. As to my grand
mother, she simply contented herself with
uttering. from time to time, CALCULATIONS
of surprise, insisting that 1t WAS an Alb
surd quarrel; that, most assuredly, j
must have been bereft of my senses. All
this, however, did not prevent her from
energetically undertaking my defense,
when, on finishing her recital, Mile. de
Stahl applied to me rather uncomplimen-
tary epithets.
| was not more than half reassured
when entered the house. Wishing above
all things to explain matters TO grand
mother, l went Immediately TO the draw
ing loom. Not finding her present, de-
sceusled to the garden, but no one lad
seen her. was then informed that, after
the departure of her two friends, she had
retired to her bedchamber. Sending TO
ask her to receive me, word came back
that she was not feeling well and desired
| to be left TO herself.
| ], also, went to my room, and at din
ner time found some cock and bull story
as an excuse for not going down. Two or
three annoying thoughts haunted me.
was bewildered by the contemplation Of
what would be the effects of my foolish
anger; all our plans upset, grandmother
broken hearted, my prospects Of future
4 oil mt of
| absr ~ Of temper.
| .T stIur on. Well aware that all
ende. nr- ru rep would prove futile,
leaned . L elbow at the window, and
gave myself III. to meditation.
Still, instead of heightening my fancies
or exssperating my feelings, as is gener-
ally the case, night On the contrary seemed
! 70 sllay them. 1t WAS rs il nature, whom
had endeavored to defend, was now try
| ing 10 mitigate my cares. | perceived
from afar, in the starlight, the spot which
had witnessed my hastiness, and the sight
afforded such pleasing sensations to my
mind that even the shadow of regret was
soon effac-d therefrom. repeated TO my
self the words of which had made use
and finally came To the conclusion that
had no fault to accuse myself OF.
rtHeCttu on tht freedom l hau re-
gained, my old time life which would re-
sumo its quiet course i'll those peaceful
spots ] loved SO well, and | fancied that
everything, far and wide, the meadows
and the woods, with their millions Of
voices chanting in the gloom, the trees
and the flowers, alive with sense Of
gratitude, were all saying To me, Be re-
assured, thou hast done we'll
''Then, SO be il, =" said to myself closing
the easement, Gods will be done"
And threw myself upon my couch.
The next morning my grandmother
| greeted me rs usual. Still there was no
misunderstanding her first glance. She
| WAS studying my face to see if yesterdays
| folly had left any traces there No ex
planation being asked for, none was
given. One thing struck me, however,
and that was the absence from the draw
ing room table of the large bouquet of
| wild flowers which my grandmother so
| delighted TO gather, and which always
stood there rs an ornament Was il an
accident, OF did the kind old lady wish to